Wood Craft
FUNDANGO at Compadres Wednesday was loads of fun and raised $25,000 for Kapiolani Children's Medical Center. Congrats to event chair Susan Page and her helpers, and Compadres owner Rick Enos, his G.M. Jesse Morta and silent auction co-chairs Lynda Pelayo and Mike Drace. Mariachi Nuevo de Hawaii played lively music. KITV anchor Dan Cooke was there with a camera crew. "I took direction from Lynne Waters," he joked. I think he was joking. Footage will be shown on the Children's Miracle Network June 3. Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono drew a crowd on arrival. "I hope the Star-Bulletin will endure," she said. Those words should make Bulletin chief Don Kendall happy. Don attended with wife Teresa. Among guests were Ken Berry and wife Karen, Sen. Matt Matsunaga, Bert Kobayashi, Fredric Fekkai, Clayton Hee, Robin Rohr, Ernest Loo and Jerry Coffee. Chris and Mary LaVoi brought their 7-week old son Charles. The Symphony Ball team of Trudy Wong, Caroline Tollefson, Susan MacKinnon and Chris Clothier drummed up support for their May 26 fund-raising ball at the Hilton Hawaiian Village ... Fundango raises
$25,000 for hospital
Grrrrrrr
ANYONE who takes a cell phone call during a movie and carries on a conversation should be thrown out of the theater and banned for life. An oaf took a call in a Restaurant Row theater matinee I attended and yakked loudly, shortly after an employee asked the audience to turn off cell phones. But even bad manners could not take away the enjoyment of Renee Zellweger and "Bridget Jones's Diary." Zellweger is terrific in the fun-filled, sexy English romp. And anyone who thinks English men are impassionate, cold fish haven't seen her co-stars Hugh Grant and Colin Firth in action ...A TAN Alfred Vollenweider says he hasn't found any location yet that really interests him for a new Alfred's restaurant. "I'm surfing now, finally after all these years," the Swiss-born chef said while shopping at Longs Ala Moana. He is taking lessons from Waikiki beach boys. He said he has been working nonstop for 23 years and is enjoying the time off. He and Maria Rutter have traveled to Florida, California and Maui since closing his Century Center restaurant because of a dispute over parking. Maria, who has worked with him for years, is visiting Switzerland ...
THE HALEKULANI will open La Mer for Mother's Day brunch May 13 ... The wines of R.H. Phillips will be poured at Palomino's tasting Wednesday, 5 to 7 p.m., $25 with appetizers. Call 528-2400 ... The Society of Seven Las Vegas opens Tuesday in the Outrigger Main Showroom. The regular SOS goes on tour next week until May 26 ...
Anita Hall joins Schulman
ISLE SINGER Anita Hall, who has great pipes, joins Broadway vet Craig Schulman and conductor Matt Catingub and the Symphony Pops Friday and May 12 at the Concert Hall, 7:30 p.m. Anita sings duets with Craig as well as solos ... Polo enthusiast Bob McGregor, 87, wasn't able to attend last Sunday's opening of the Honolulu Polo Club season at Waimanalo because of illness. Bob played polo for 41 years and retired two years ago at 85. He co-founded the Honolulu Polo Club 15 years ago. Polo continues tomorrow at Waimanalo ...
Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin in the streets
of downtown Honolulu during World War II, writes of
people, places and things every Saturday.
E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com